Sanderson Life

[Lobjoit]

I've always fancied trying an 853 frame after having various other flavours of steel over the years. I thought about something new from Cotic or Pipedream or similar, but then a Sanderson Life came up for a good price locally so I took the plunge. It's been sat in its box for a few months as work and other things have got in the way, but finally made a start on it today.

The grey isn't everyone's cup of tea but it's definitely growing on me.

I got some cheap secondhand F100s to go with it. They were sold as having a non-functioning lockout and had been pumped up to a fearsome pressure, but letting some air out and using the quick fix on the Mojo website seems to have sorted them out - http://www.mojo.co.uk/faq.html#question3. The steerer was too long for such a short headtube so out came the saw guide...

Then on to the really important jobs, like changing the bottle cage bolts...

Next stop, the Thomson table. My wife never ceases to find it hilarious that Thomson stuff comes in "dinky little fabric bags".

I need to have a play with the stem height once I've ridden it, so for now have built it up with a mish-mash of spacers and an old Gusset headlock to make chopping and changing easier. I may yet take a bit more off the steerer, but will see how it goes. The headset came with the frame and seems almost brand new so is staying.

I'd just managed to get the bottom bracket and cranks done when the sky went black and rain stopped play for the day. This is how it looks at the moment, hoping to get cracking on it again soon!

 

[coomber]

I find it hard to understand why Sanderson frames are so under appreciated when they have always seemed to me to be every bit as well crafted as Cotic and the like.

I like the grey, and the build looks ace so far. Really nice build.

Got some nice hoops to go on it?

 

[Lobjoit]

Re:

Thanks. It's a very nicely made and finished frame.

Nothing too exciting in the wheel department at the moment but hopefully something nicer in future when funds allow!

 

[coomber]

What about parts though? Deore or higher?

Slap some nice tyres on it would function great regardless of wheels.

 

[superstu]

Re:

Really nice. Looking forward to seeing it built up.

 

[Lobjoit]

And a mere [checks calendar...] TEN years later, it's finished



This has spent a LONNNNNNG time in storage while life has been getting in the way. I thought about selling it but decided it would be much better to finish and ride it instead. The brakes are a stop gap while I try to get my head around what hydraulic levers will play nicely with the old SLX 2x10 shifters but they do the job for now.

 

[slackboy]

I find it hard to understand why Sanderson frames are so under appreciated when they have always seemed to me to be every bit as well crafted as Cotic and the like.

I like the grey, and the build looks ace so far. Really nice build.

Got some nice hoops to go on it?

this chap road around the world on one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CLK76HM/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

 

[slackboy]

And a mere [checks calendar...] TEN years later, it's finished

View attachment 840375

This has spent a LONNNNNNG time in storage while life has been getting in the way. I thought about selling it but decided it would be much better to finish and ride it instead. The brakes are a stop gap while I try to get my head around what hydraulic levers will play nicely with the old SLX 2x10 shifters but they do the job for now.

Maybe a bit on the lengthy side in terms of build time, but it really does look very smart.

 

[raidan73]

this chap road around the world on one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CLK76HM/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

View attachment 840376

In in about 8.5% of the time it took you to finish this (which is very tongue in cheek, coming from the king of long builds!).Still looks great

 

[Lobjoit]

In in about 8.5% of the time it took you to finish this (which is very tongue in cheek, coming from the king of long builds!).Still looks great

I started building it the summer before Lobjoit Jnr #1 came along, got a tiny bit more done before #2 came along then turned my attention to a building something sturdy and nondescript that could tow a trailer or pull a tagalong and not get nicked from work. The Sanderson got pushed further and further to the back of the shed behind a sea of Frog bikes and WeeRides and the years went by... Finally dusted it down last Autumn and a few weekends and days off later it was done. We had a running joke that by the time I finished it one of the kids would be tall enough to ride it but they've got a little way to go yet!